Y-12 supports Michael Dunn Center residents during pandemic

  • Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2021, 11:57 am

Michael Dunn Center was one of several East Tennessee organizations CNS and the ETF Neighbor to Neighbor fund
Michael Dunn Center was one of several East Tennessee organizations CNS and the ETF Neighbor to Neighbor fund helped during the COVID-19 pandemic.

CNS sought to help community organizations respond to critical needs throughout the pandemic by providing contributions rapidly and responsibly. An important step was directing CNS Community Investment Fund dollars to the East Tennessee Foundation’s Neighbor to Neighbor Fund. Together, CNS and the Foundation were able to quickly get much-needed resources to several nonprofit organizations in East Tennessee.

Food for residential homes
The need for groceries grew exponentially for Michael Dunn Center’s residents because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic forced residents to shelter in their homes and that increased the number of meals needed each day. The cost for groceries increased roughly $70 per month for each home or more than $2,000 a month overall. Adding to the increase was the need to ensure that many of their residents, who have developmental and/or intellectual disabilities, were served proper meals because of very restrictive diets.

The Michael Dunn Center turned to East Tennessee Foundation and CNS. Through ETF's Neighbor to Neighbor Fund, the Center received a grant of $2,000 to cover the funding gap for increased groceries for their residential population.

“The CNS grant helped our staff provide the necessary groceries to meet the dietary needs of everyone we serve,” said Courtney Briley, Michael Dunn Center’s community relations coordinator.

“The safety of those we support is our top priority and being able to meet the increased need for groceries has been imperative and instrumental to each resident’s well being.”

Briley thanked CNS and ETF for providing help in a very uncertain time.

“You allowed us to continue provide services which are instrumental to the health and nutrition of those we served during a global pandemic. We met their nutritional needs so that they could remain safe in their homes,” she added.